When you think of places to go for a quick trip, you probably start off by thinking of places close by. Of course, nothing is wrong with that. But have you considered picking a distant location while fully maximizing the short stay?!
For a recent trip, this is exactly what I did and it turned out to be one of my best trips ever. I left L.A. on a Thursday at noon and arrived in Reykjavik, Iceland the following morning at 6am local time after a 9-hour direct flight. My 3 girlfriends and I had the best time on this vacation. We did everything we set out to do, except we didn’t see the Northern Lights – which was completely out of our control. Here are some tips for going the distance on a quick trip:
1. Nonstop flight. There’s no time for multiple stops and layovers and changing planes. Time is of the essence! You need to board your flight and be at your destination when the plane lands.
2. Plan, Plan, Plan! I get it that not everybody likes to plan. Some people like to get there and let the chips fall where they may. Nope! For this scenario, to maximize your time, plan your activities so you can see and do as much as you want during your stay. Research your destination and have an idea of the things you want to do so you can book your activities in advance.
3. Hit the ground running! We arrived in Iceland at 6a.m. By the time we got through customs, stopped in the airport for coffee, met up with our other friends who arrived, got a taxi and went to our hotel, it was 10 a.m. We dropped off our bags, showered and were on our way to start the day. On longer trips lounging around might work, but on shorter ones you’ll lose a valuable portion of your time.
4. City Center! Another thing is to make sure you’re staying central to as many of the things you plan to do as possible. When you have 48 hours or so at your destination, the last thing you want to do is commute everywhere. Of course, tours and activities might require a trek, but stay where you can travel right outside your hotel for food, shopping, etc.
These things all help me to maximize my time on a short trip. Even though I don’t have a lot of time, I still want to see and do as much as possible. And of course, some people go away for the weekend and take pleasure in not ever leaving their room. Just know that jetting off for a weekend of fun and adventure is absolutely possible, even if it involves a few thousand miles to get there.